The Key Stage 4 Curriculum - brookfield.hants.sch.uk · To explain Brookfield’s curriculum plan...
16
2017-2020
The Key Stage 4 Curriculum - brookfield.hants.sch.uk · To explain Brookfield’s curriculum plan for the next ... GCSEs will be graded on a new scale of 9 to 1 rather than ... Creative
Aims To explain recent changes in government policy on the
curriculum and qualifications. To explain Brookfield’s curriculum plan for the next
three years. To explain the option choices for students moving into
year 9. To explain how information, advice and guidance will
be offered. To explain the schedule for options and key deadlines.
GCSE, AS and A level reforms in England
Presenter
Presentation Notes
This slide pack has been produced by the examinations regulator Ofqual, in collaboration with the Department for Education. The principal purpose of these slides, and accompanying notes, is to provide teachers with a single accurate source of information that can be used to communicate with students and parents on the changes that are happening to GCSEs and A levels and to school and college performance measures, to help them understand the impact they will have on them. Detailed information on other qualifications offered by schools and colleges is not covered in this pack.
Why and how are GCSEs, AS and A levels changing?GCSEs and A levels in England are being reformed, to match the best systems in the world and keep pace with universities’ and employers’ demands.
■ GCSE content will be more challenging but still suitable for all abilities
■ GCSEs will be graded on a new scale of 9 to 1 rather than A* to G as now, with 9 the highest grade, to distinguish clearly between the reformed and unreformed qualifications
■ A levels will allow more time for studying and better prepare students for university
■ AS levels will be stand alone qualifications to reduce the exam burden on students and teachers.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Government aims for the reformed qualifications are to: Match with the highest performing education systems around the world Identify and reward the highest performing students Remove modularisation which encourages bite-sized learning Better prepare students for work, and further and higher education Reduce the burden of exams on students and teachers Ensure assessment is more robust and rigorous The changes described in this slide pack do not apply to GCSEs and A levels in Wales and Northern Ireland. Employers and universities told us that young people are not adequately prepared for employment or further study. Our education system claimed to have improved performance – for example, between 1988 and 2011 the proportion of A and A* grades awarded more than doubled (from 8.6% in 1988 to 23.2% in 2011), however, our results in international assessments have remained static while some countries have overtaken us. This is not fair to young people – who are not being given the best opportunity to succeed in life – and it is damaging the country’s ability to compete in a global economy. We have increased the rigour of GCSEs to ensure that reformed qualifications meet the needs of users now and in the future and are of comparable demand to the best in the world.
Reformed GCSEs
■ Content New and more challenging content
■ Structure All exams at the end of the course
■ Assessment Mainly by examinationNon-exam assessment only where necessary
■ Tiering Foundation and higher tier permittedonly in maths, science and foreign languages
■ Grading New numbered scale (9 to 1 plus U), 9 is the highest
New Government ‘good pass’ set at grade 5
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Content – GCSEs are being reformed to make them more rigorous. They will still be suitable for young people of all abilities, but syllabuses will include more challenging and knowledge-based content and exams will be changed so that we can identify and reward the highest performers. Changes to the content will vary by subjects. For those subjects being taught from September 2015 and 2016 (see slide 5 for a full list) detailed specifications are available on awarding organisations websites. For subjects being taught from September 2017 content is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/gcse-subject-content Structure – GCSEs will be linear with exams only at the end of the course to ensure more time for high quality teaching. Previously GCSEs were modular which meant that students could retake individual modules throughout the course. Assessment – The amount of 'coursework' in each subject varies. Coursework or non-exam assessment is only included where it is impossible to assess those skills in an exam. More information about how non-exam assessments have changed can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-changes-a-summary/summary-of-changes-to-gcses-from-2015 Tiering – in the future only maths, science and modern foreign language GCSEs will be tiered (where pupils either sit foundation or higher exams). Tiering has been removed from most GCSEs to ensure that where possible students are not limited from achieving higher grades. In the foundation tier of the new maths GCSE students will be able to achieve a maximum of grade 5. A student must enter for higher OR foundation tier in any individual subject for the whole qualification. Grading – see slide 9 How this affects students – To ensure that students taking the new GCSEs are not disadvantaged Ofqual will use a statistical method called comparable outcomes to ensure that roughly the same proportion of students achieve comparable grades if the ability profile is the same. This ensures that students who sit reformed qualifications will not be disadvantaged as a result of the changes.
New GCSE grading structure
In the first year, the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 7 and above ascurrently achieve grade A and above
achieve a grade 4 and above ascurrently get C and above
achieve a grade 1 and aboveas currently get a grade G and above
Presenter
Presentation Notes
The new 9-1 grading system will mean that it will be clear to employers and colleges or universities whether students have taken the unreformed GCSEs or the reformed, more challenging ones. The new grade scale will not be directly equivalent to the existing one. However, there will be some comparable points between the old grades and the approach used to awarding will ensure that in the first year of a new qualification: Broadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 7 and above as currently achieve a grade A and above Broadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above Broadly the same proportion of pupils will achieve a grade 1 and above as currently achieve a grade G and above Grades 2, 3, 5 and 6 will be evenly spaced between these points. It is important that students and their parents realise that the new GCSEs have more grades. With the exceptions of the grade anchoring points described above (for example the C/D boundary equates to the 4/3 boundary), there are no other direct grade comparisons or conversions to be made. For example, while it is true to say that the same proportion of candidates will get a 4 AND ABOVE as currently get a C AND ABOVE, it is NOT true to say a grade 4 is equivalent to a grade C. This is because of the expanded number of grades above a 4. So, a grade 4 represents the bottom two thirds of a grade C, while a grade 5 is the equivalent of the top third of grade C and the bottom third of grade B. There is more differentiation in the reformed qualifications, as there are three top grades (7,8 and 9), compared to two in the unreformed qualifications (A and A*), so you would expect that fewer students will get a grade 9 than previously got an A*. FAQs Can I compare my grade in a reformed GCSE to my grade in an unreformed GCSE? The simple answer to this is no, a direct comparison is not possible. There are more grades in the reformed 9-1 scale so a direct comparison between whole grades would not be accurate. However, it is correct to say that a 5 represents the top third of a C and the bottom third of a B. Why are there more grades available above a 4 than below a 4? This does not seem fair to lower attaining pupils. More students currently attain grades of C and above, than attain the lower grades of D and below. Having more grades above this boundary allows more discrimination between students. Are grades awarded by 'norm referencing'? No. Student marks are ordered and grades awarded for marks. Norm referencing would be the ordering of the students.
Progression from year 8
The Curriculum Plan Year 9 (2018-19) Year 10 (2019-20) Year 11 (2020-21)
English 7 8 8
Mathematics 7 8 8
Science 7 10 10
Foreign Language 45 5
Geography /History 3
Computer Studies 3 * *
Religious Studies 2 * *
P.E. 4 3 3
PSE / Beliefs, Values and Life 1 1 1
Option A 3 5 5
Option B 3 5 5
Option C 3 5 5
Option D 3
Year 9 DecisionsForeign Language
1
French German Spanish
You may only opt for German or Spanish if you are already learning them in year 8.
Humanities 1 Geography History
P.E.1
Pre GCSE PE /BTEC Sport
Core PE (You will not be able to select GCSE PE or BTEC Sport in Years 10 and 11)
4 Other OptionsArt Art (Textiles) Geography Music
Citizenship History Music Technology
If any subject is over-subscribed, priority will be given to students who are working above, at, or if below, closer to their target grade.
Students may not choose both music and music technology, both art and textiles or both D&T (Graphics) and D&T (Res Mats).
Food Studies Design & Technology(Graphics)
Design & Technology(Resistant Materials)
Drama Dance French
Year 9 Options - PE Everyone will continue to take P.E. in years 9,10 and 11. If you think that you might want to study for a P.E.
qualification in years 10 and 11 (either a GCSE or a BTEC) you will need to select the pre GCSE PE / BTEC Sport option.
In year 9 you would then have one theory lesson per fortnight, as well as practical P.E. lessons.
During year 9 you will then be able to decide whether you want to take GCSE PE, BTEC PE or not to do a PE qualification after all.
Possible Year 10/11 OptionsContinued from Year 9 New in Year 10
Art (Fine Art) Art (Photography)
Art (Textiles) Business Enterprise
Citizenship Business Studies
Dance Computer Science
Drama Creative iMedia
French Food Preparation and Nutrition
Geography Health and Social Care
German Hospitality and Catering
D&T (Graphics or Resistant Materials) ICT
History
Music
Music Technology
PE(GCSE PE or BTEC Sport)
Religious Studies
Spanish
Choosing your options DO think about
What you hope to be doing in 3 – 5 years time. (Find out what qualifications you will need to get there.)
What subjects you are doing well in. Advice from your teachers – they know you and they
know the courses. How the course is assessed – will it suit you? Will the content of the course interest you? Have you chosen a good balance of courses – different
types of subjects.
Choosing your options DON’T think about
What your friends are doing. Which teachers you like or don’t like.
DON’T Look for easy options – there are none. Assume that new subjects will necessarily be better or
more interesting than subjects you have studied already.
Year 8 Options Schedule 2018 19th February – Briefing for year 8 parents/carers February – Briefing for year 8 students (in PSE lessons) 26th February – publication of year 8 options booklet
on website. 1st March – Year 8 subject evening 5th March – Year 8 options forms open on insight via
the school website. 8th March – Year 8 options evening 23rd March – Deadline for submission of options June/July – Options confirmed September – Students begin option courses
How to submit your options Log on to Insight via the school website. Use your
usual school user name and password. Select Year 8 Options and make your choices
Foreign Language Humanities PE 4 other subjects
Log out and then ask your parent/carer to log in. They will be able to see your option choices and need
to approve them by clicking OK. Your options will then be submitted to school.
Year 8 Options Find out as much information as you can before
making your choices. Think about what you need to do to achieve your long-
term goals. Don’t think only about the next year. Don’t be influenced by the subjects your friends have
selected. They might not have the same ambitions as you.
Don’t choose a subject because of the teacher. You are quite likely to have a different teacher next year.
You will not be able to take a subject in years 10 and 11 if you have decided not to study it in year 9.
